Firebending
Firebending, one of the four elemental bending arts, is the pyrokinetic ability to create and control fire, practiced by some people of the Fire Nation, as well as the lesser known Sun Warriors. Fire is the element of power, consisting of overpowering force tempered by the unflinching will to accomplish tasks and desires. However, the recently militaristic Fire Nation twisted this into firebending being fueled by rage, hate, and anger. Firebending draws its power from the sun, and the first human firebenders derived their firebending techniques from the dragons. Firebending is notable for its intensive attacking style and general lack of adequate defense moves, although some notable firebenders utilize creative defensive moves. Origin It has been revealed that firebenders learned firebending from the sacred dragons that had once populated their land. The first people to learn from the dragons were the Sun Warriors. In the remains of their once great civilization, Zuko and Aang discovered that firebending represents energy and life, not rage and anger as the modern Fire Nation would have its citizens believe. Firebenders draw their power from the sun and other solar objects. A solar eclipse has the potential to completely negate a firebender's power, revealing a direct connection between the sun and firebending. Firebenders are also said to draw power from volcanic energy and lightning, though this has never been seen in the series. Fighting Style Firebending moves are based mainly on the Northern Shaolin style of kung fu, but with a few techniques from Northern Seven Star Praying Mantis. These martial arts feature quick, successive attacks that take extreme power momentarily, much like an explosion, called ging lik. It optimizes a strong continuous offense, sacrificing defense for greater power, the principle behind a pre-emptive strike, making firebending the most aggressive of the four bending arts. Firebenders use their internal body heat as a source of their bending. This facet of firebending is a sharp contrast to the other bending arts, which manipulate already present sources of their element, though firebenders can also control or enhance flames nearby. Unlike other bending disciplines, firebending has few defensive moves aside from blocking and dodging, although master firebenders are able to create walls of fire to absorb incoming attacks or shoot down incoming projectiles. Firebending uses concentrated barrages of fire to overwhelm opponents before striking a fatal blow. Swift, whirling kicks and punches generate diverse shapes for offensive attacks. Circular motion also seems to be a crucial element to the skill as it seems to be a precession to "power up" the firebender's flames. When creating lightning, the firebenders often move their arms in slow, circular motions, similar to waterbenders but with more tension. As said before, whirling kicks or punches are used many times in the series to create arcs, or just to power their bending. Fire is the element of power. Basic Firebending Abilities Fireballs: A basic ability; jabs and punches produce miniature fireballs and missiles of flame. These can be charged up (refer to charged attacks) to create larger, slower bursts, or swift repetitive strikes to keep opponents off balance. Aang and Zuko creating large streams of fire. Fire streams: Another basic firebending ability, firebenders can shoot continuous streams of fire from their fingertips, fists, palms, or legs. These streams can be widened to create flame-thrower like techniques. Fire Nation soldiers are often seen using this technique to damage or destroy villages or towns. Blazing rings and arcs: Spinning kicks or sweeping arm movements create rings and arcs to slice larger, more widely spaced, or evasive targets. Fire bomb: Considered a short range attack, a firebender can create a flame at the end of a limb, and thrust the flame down in an explosive burst. Fire daggers: Creating blowtorch-like jets from the fist or fingertips to use as close range sword-like attacks. However, these lack the ability to actually block physical objects. Fire whip: An extension of a fire stream, this continuous stream of flame can be utilized as a whip. Fire blade: A more advanced version of a blazing arc, firebenders can narrow their fire arcs to create thin blades of fire that they can launch at their opponents. Fire lashes: An even further extension of the fire whip/stream, firebenders can create a long lash of fire, and bring them down on their enemies or create smaller, multiple lashes and envelop an area with fire. Sun Warriors creating fire circles for use in a ritual. Fire circle: A technique demonstrated by the Sun Warriors. They created a circle of fire and suspended it in the air for an extended period of time. Shield of fire: Creates a protective fire shield around the front of, or the whole body of, a firebender that can deflect attacks and explosions. May be a lesser version of the Wall of Flames. Heat control: Certain advanced firebenders appear to have the ability to control heat. Using this technique, firebenders can heat a wide range of liquids, like water or tea, heat metal to scalding temperatures, or melt ice. Controlling heat may be related to Sozin's Heat Absorption technique. Blocking fire: A skilled firebender can defuse and extinguish an oncoming fire blast from another firebender with a swift kick, jab, or defensive movement, allowing them to stop attacks. The Dancing Dragon: This firebending form was learned from the sacred statues that were hidden atop the ancient civilization of the Sun Warriors. It involves a more fluid and natural form of firebending. It is a simple, yet possibly very powerful firebending form, as it also brings advantages for more skilled firebenders. It is also one of the few firebending techniques with defensive capabilities. There is a circular nature to the technique, which is unusual in firebending; the only other known techniques to incorporate smooth, circular movements are the fire circle and lightning generation. It is possible that these unique forms of firebending relate to dragons. Firebending: Master Level Master Jeong Jeong creating a wall of fire. Wall of flames: One of firebending's few defensive techniques, either a situated explosion or controlled inferno, this wall of concentrated flames acts as a barrier to incoming attacks. It may be a more powerful version of a fire shield. It not only protects against attacks, but when used right, can be used to stealthily escape from foes. Azula once used it to deflect four simultaneous attacks from all four elements to provide herself a stealthy escape. Fire disks: A whirling disk of flame, capable of being used at long range. Sozin redirects heat. Heat redirection: Only seen performed by Fire Lord Sozin, the technique may be unique to him or simply an advanced technique. Heat absorption allows for the absorption of heat from one hand and passing through one's body and out the other hand. It was used to cool down the lava during the eruption that destroyed Avatar Roku's town. It appears to operate on a similar principle to Iroh's redirection of lightning technique. Charged attacks: Certain firebenders have been shown charging their attacks before releasing them, allowing them to create enormous blasts of fire. During the Battle at Wulong Forest, using comet-enhanced firebending, Fire Lord Ozai and several Imperial Firebenders unleashed charged fire blasts of enormous size from airships in an attempt to carry out their scorched earth plan, and Ozai later used it again to break Avatar Aang's rock sphere during their battle. Zuko augmenting fire. Fire augmentation: Firebenders can also control the size and intensity of any nearby flames and can draw them in to manipulate them at will. Avatar Roku used this method to protect himself and counter an attack by Zhao and his soldiers while Aang channeled his spirit. A simpler example is when Fire Lords are in the throne room. When Ozai and Azulon got angry, the flames rose up higher and burned more rapidly. Another example was when Zuko was attacking Aang in Ozai's beach house, as he disintegrated flames Aang used to counter-attack. Pressure control: An advanced form of Heat Control; the firebender superheats the air around him or her, causing a rise in air pressure in small, enclosed areas which often has explosive implications. Azula propelling herself. Jet propulsion: Skilled firebending masters are able to conjure huge amounts of flame to propel themselves at high speeds on the ground or through the air. It was first demonstrated by Azula during her battle with Aang in the Crystal Catacombs. During the fight, Azula released the flames she used to propel herself horizontally, which blasted Aang backwards. When Azula was knocked off an airship, she used a smaller burst of fire to propel herself on to a cliff, saving herself from falling to her death. Azula and Zuko both executed this technique while powered by the comet during their Agni Kai. Firebending: Avatar Level An Unnamed fire Avatar erupting volcanoes. Lava/Magmabending: Avatar-level firebenders are able to bend lava and magma, although not with the same ease by which waterbenders bend water. They can even cause dormant volcanoes to erupt at will. This ability contrasts sharply with other types of firebending, as lava and magma are superheated physical substances, rather than a chemical reaction. This ability has only been demonstrated by Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, and an unnamed Fire Nation Avatar. The "Avatar Extras" for "The Avatar State" stated that the manipulation of lava is a combination of earthbending and firebending, implying that firebenders are incapable of performing the technique and that it can only be done by an Avatar. http://images.wikia.com/avatar/images/0/02/Avatar_State_fire_whips.pngAvatar Aang using five fire whips. Long-range multiple fire whips: An Avatar-level firebender can produce fire whips, the most being five at once. They are capable of reaching across long distances, displayed when Avatar Aang used the technique hundreds of feet above Ozai. This may have been a result of his firebending being augmented by Sozin's Comet, and/or because he was in the Avatar State at the time. Each fire whip is also very wide and moves in a similar fashion to squid or octopus tentacles. They have enough destructive power to demolish large rock formations. This could be the technique Shyu was referring to when he said that, "only a fully realized Avatar can open the sanctuary doors alone." Special Techniques Blue fire. Blue fire: Firebenders can control the intensity of their firebending, reflected in the color of the flames. These blue flames are more efficient than the standard yellow and orange flames produced by lesser forms of firebending, channeling more energy into the attack. While not to be confused with lightning, blue fire also seems to possess more physical force and produces a combustive effect more intense than that of normal fire. When the two dragons unleashed a vortex of fire, several other colors of fire beyond the yellow, orange and blue flames previously seen could be seen within it, including white, purple, green, pink and red fire. It is possible that these colors of flame may also have special properties. Breath of fire. Breath of fire: The breath of fire involves the user firebending out of his or her mouth, mixing air from the lungs with the flame creating a wider, hotter blast. It was the employment of this firebending style in the heat of battle that earned General Iroh the nickname, "The Dragon of the West". With its wide, encompassing range, the technique allows for staving off multiple opponents and is also shown to be able to instantaneously warm the body even under frigid conditions. It is also useful for stealth, as it requires no hand motions and can thus be impossible to predict. Tea can also serve as a catalyst for the breath of fire, as implied by Iroh. Combustion. Combustion: The unique, trademark ability of the Combustion Man. Unlike normal firebending, this does not produce a flame directly from the body. Instead, Combustion Man concentrated his energy through his tattooed third eye to super-heat the air around himself or at a great distance, producing situated explosions with a great deal of precision. This technique is extremely effective and very destructive, capable of use at close and long-range; it can completely disintegrate hill-sized boulders and instantaneously evaporate large bodies of water with ease.This is probably due to the energy being entirely focused into creating the explosion, without wasting energy maintaining a long-range jet of flame. However, the technique has the potential to be just as hazardous to the user as it can be to their surroundings, as the Combustion Man blew off his own right arm and leg due to his initial lack of control over the newly discovered ability in his youth. The sole weakness of combustion is that it is heavily reliant on an uninterrupted flow of chi, as blocking the chi paths in the forehead from where the combustion beam issues forth causes potentially fatal backfires. Enhanced Firebending Ozai creating fire enhanced by Sozin's Comet. Due to its solar augmentation, firebending is slightly stronger during the day, being at its most powerful around noon. With an extraterrestrial heat source much closer to the planet than the sun, in particular Sozin's Comet, firebending is enhanced dramatically. A firebender under the effects of the comet can produce much larger, powerful flames, which create greater destruction and can extend much further than usual. Experienced firebenders can use the Comet's power to sustain flight, generate exceptionally powerful lightning bolts and perform other feats of firebending they would usually be incapable of. Opposite Bending Art Firebending is the opposing art to waterbending, though it shows many similar facets of self-control, great diversity, and variation in strength due to external forces and strong emotions. Firebenders use quick strong punches and kicks to shoot fire, while waterbenders use smooth movements and elegant turns and spins to return the momentum of the opponents' attacks. Firebenders attack first, while waterbenders wait and turn their target's attacks against them. The two bending arts are also opposed by their celestial power source; firebending is fueled by the sun, waterbending by the moon. Like all bending arts, firebending is balanced out as to not be more or less powerful than the other arts. The series has repeatedly illustrated that it's the skill and prowess of the user that determines victory. Weapons Firebenders sometimes incorporate weapons into firebending, for example: the utilization of firebending in conjunction with dual dao swords, shaping and channeling the flames down the blade of his weapons. Styles The art of firebending overall draws heir from three ancient martial arts, each with their own separate moves and varying results. *'Xing Yi' blends strikes from the classic "Seven Stars": hands, feet, elbows, hips, knees, shoulders and head. *'Southern Dragon Claw' mirrors a dragon swooping down on its prey. The form contains close-range techniques for seizing and holding that make use of the hand. *'Northern Shaolin', which can be any number of fighting styles related to (but not encompassing) Long Fist boxing. Kicks are meant to be extended as far as possible without sacrificing balance. Lightning Certain powerful firebenders are able to generate and manipulate lightning by separating the yin and yang energies. Lightning, also known as "the cold-blooded fire", is considered the most powerful firebending technique, and its use is available only to a select few firebending prodigies and masters. Some experienced firebenders are unable to lightning bend because they don't possess inner peace. If a firebender who harbors inner turmoil tries to generate lightning, it would only cause a miniature explosion. Iroh generating lightning. Lightning generation: Lightning generation is the ability to generate and direct lightning. It requires peace of mind and a complete absence of emotion. Lightning redirection: After observing the redirecting techniques of waterbending, Iroh developed a technique to redirect the course of lightning strikes by absorbing it through one arm, guiding it through the stomach, and out the other arm. Iroh and Kaizin are the only known firebenders to perform both techniques. Weaknesses Poor breath control: It is said that true firebending power comes not from physical size nor strength, but rather from the very control of one's breath. This is shown by Iroh, who, at least for most of The Last Airbender series, is a fat, squat man with no exceptional strength or physique. However, this doesn't stop him from remaining one of the most powerful firebenders in the world. Firebender discipline stresses self-restraint and breath control as a means of directing and containing the fire manifested. Poor breath control means dangerously poor control of any fire generated. For this reason, breathing exercises are one of the most critical first steps for beginning firebenders. Though anger, rage and other intense emotions can amplify the power of firebending, it can lead to dangerous explosions or wildfires and can also cause any nearby flames to burn out of control. Zuko's firebending was briefly weakened due to losing his drive to capture Aang. Lack of drive: In order to firebend properly, one must have "inner fire", his or her drive, without which one's firebending becomes weak. Lack of defense: The major combat weakness behind the applied art of firebending is its confrontational nature. Due to its aggressiveness and pursuit of continuous assault, it traditionally lacks basic defensive techniques, which can leave an inexperienced bender considerably vulnerable to enemy counterattacks, though masters such as Jeong Jeong can effectively use firebending for defense. It also consumes a vast amount of energy leaving the bender at a considerable disadvantage in a prolonged battle. A common mark of a firebending master is the ability to sustain attacks for long periods. http://images.wikia.com/avatar/images/c/c5/Eclipse.pngThe 'black sun', which appears during the solar eclipse. Solar eclipse: Its connection to the sun results in a lessening of strength during the night and a complete loss of firebending during a solar eclipse Extreme cold: Cold temperatures reduce a firebender's abilities; the prison on the Boiling Rock used insulated chambers, the coolers, and piped in cold air as a punishment for those prisoners who used firebending. Poor self control: As shown by Zhao and mentioned by Jeong Jeong, if the firebender lacks focus their powers can go out of control. Other circumstances: A firebender's power may decrease in any situation which might extinguish their flames, such as being underwater or caught in the rain. Elemental Symbol The firebending symbol. The symbol for fire and firebending is a stylized, tulip-shaped flame forked into three tongues that curve outward like flower petals, with a spiral at the base. The symbol is featured in connection with Fire Nation spirituality. Spirituality and Firebending Approximately one hundred years before the start of The Last Airbender series, Fire Lord Sozin launched a genocidal attack on the Air Nomads, succeeding in part due to the power granted to him by a passing comet. Over the course of a century, the war was continued, and under the rule of Sozin's grandson, Fire Lord Ozai, the Fire Nation saw the return of "Sozin's Comet." As prophesied, the comet's immense energy granted Ozai the power to conquer the entire world. The only threat to Ozai's campaign was the Avatar, Aang. Aang succeeded in his quest to defeat the Fire Lord, and he satisfied his spiritual needs by not taking Ozai's life but simply by removing his ability to firebend. Avatar Roku manifests himself in Aang's body to save Sokka and Katara during the winter solstice. The Fire Nation's religious clerics, the Fire Sages, once served Avatar Roku, but they were eventually forced to endorse the imperial war. Fire Sage Shyu was the only Fire Sage to remain true to his allegiance to the Avatar, a trait he inherited from his father and grandfather. A firebender's powers seem to increase during the day in the presence of the sun. Because of this solar sympathy, their powers are weakened at night and a solar eclipse can temporarily negate their powers entirely, much like waterbenders' powers are negated during a lunar eclipse. Aside from their main power source, the sun, firebenders also draw their energy from other heat sources, including volcanic activity, lightning, and passing comets, if they somehow become a heat source, such as Sozin's Comet, which ignites when it brushes the atmosphere. A firebender's power is intensified in warmer climates and is at its peak when situated near their native equatorial homelands during the summer. Firebending's distinctiveness is in its uncontrolled nature; fire, if left to itself, will consume everything it can. Firebending is thus a matter of controlling an element rather than directing it. However, its roots and nature are fully explored by Ran and Shaw and the Sun Warriors; properly controlled, fire is life and industry, comforting and creative. Agni Kai Main Article: Agni Kai